Patriots Give Surprise Kayshon Boutte Update After Arrest
Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte was arrested earlier this offseason due to illegal online gambling. Fast forward to March and New England is taking a positive approach when it comes to the 21-year-old's outlook.
Kayshon Boutte's first taste of NFL experience couldn't have gone worse than it did. After being drafted 187th by the New England Patriots last April, the former LSU wide receiver barely saw any professional action as a rookie before being arrested in January due to his connection in an online gambling investigation.
While many fans were quick to right off the 21-year-old wideout as a wasted draft pick, the Patriots coaching staff isn't willing to do the same just yet.
Patriots News: Jerod Mayo Willing to Help Kayshon Boutte
Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo spoke to the media about several topics on Monday, including Boutte's future with the franchise. According to WEEI 93.7's Mike Kadlick, Mayo hopes to not only develop Boutte on the field but also "really develop him as a man as well going forward."
Jerod Mayo on #Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte, who was arrested this offseason in connection to online gambling:
— Mike Kadlick (@mikekadlick) March 25, 2024
"We're continuing to gather information on that. He's still on the team, and hopefully we can continue to develop this player but really develop him as a man as well…
Boutte's gambling took place when he was an underage student at Louisiana State University. It's believed that he made well over 8,900 wagers during that time with at least 17 bets being put on NCAA college football games. Of those, at least six were on LSU matchups. There's been no indication that the New Iberia, IA native wagered on any NFL contests.
There's no denying that Boutte messed up in a big way, but people do deserve second chances. As Mayo pointed out, Boutte was "very young" when he made those wagers and you'd be hard-pressed to find any adults who didn't regret mistakes they made from the ages of 18 to 20. If he's serious about cleaning up his life and changing, there isn't a reason to not give him another opportunity.
Time will tell if Boutte can carve himself a role in New England's offense. The ex-Tiger barely made an impact in a season where the Patriots struggled to pass the ball, hauling in just 2-of-7 targets (28.6%) for 19 yards and a first down.
As it stands, Boutte has a lot of work to do if he wants to climb up the Patriots' WR depth chart. Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, Jalen Reagor, and JuJu Smith-Schuster are all ahead of him in the pecking order while veteran wideout K.J. Osborn was added to the mix this offseason. In other words, Boutte will likely compete with Tyquan Thornton for the WR6 role.
Hopefully, Boutte can get his head straight to help the Patriots in their effort to return to prominence next season.
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